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5 Ways to Ensure Your Children Get Enough Sleep

3:31 PM

Good sleeping habits and important for humans of every shape and size, but especially for growing kids with young and active bodies and minds that need the right amount of rest to process all the learning and growth that every new day brings.

When it comes to ensuring your child is getting enough sleep, it’s almost all up to you as a parent to take the right steps to give your child the best possible chance at a sound night’s sleep and regular, healthy sleeping habits. Here are 5 ways that will help you and your kids rest easy at the end of each day.

Bedtime Rituals

Have a set routine that you work through with your child in preparation for sleep. By following these regular routine you’re conditioning your child physically and mentally to prepare to settle down and sleep.

Include all the essentials, like brushing and flossing teeth, bathing, getting into pyjamas and going to the toilet, but also include some pleasant activities that encourage kids to relax and settle down. This might be a bedtime story, a lullaby or switching on some quiet, soothing music.

Regular Sleep Schedule

You should try to enforce a regular and consistent bed time and wake-up time. Both lights out and wake-up times should be the same every day, this includes weekends. It will help regulate your child’s sleeping patterns and make it easier to settle down at night, wake up in the morning and sleep uninterrupted throughout the nights.

Safe and Sound Sleeping Environment

Ensure that your child’s bedroom is conducive to a sound night’s sleep. Eliminate distractions and make sure your child feels safe and comfortable in his/her room. The bedroom should be quiet and cool, and kept dark, although you may wish to plug in a nightlight if your child is afraid of the dark. Some children feel safer sleeping high up off the ground, if this is the case with your child you could check out the range of loft beds available at Bunkers Melbourne.

Keep noise to a minimum after lights out when your child is trying to get to sleep. Ensure he/she has everything he/she needs to settle down for the night, like enough blankets or a glass of water by the bed, so that there’s no need to get up during the night.

Limiting Liquids

Try to limit your child’s intake of liquids before bedtime, as a full bladder at night can mean disrupted sleep and might even encourage bedwetting or sleepwalking. Be especially mindful to steer your child away from caffeinated beverages at night time as any caffeine will make it much harder for them to settle down after lights out and enjoy a solid sleep.

Try to make sure your child takes a trip to the bathroom before bed to avoid going to sleep with a full bladder and avoid having to wake up during the night to go to the toilet.

Shut Down Screen-time

Try to limit your child’s time with electronic devices before bed. Computers, phones and games can be stimulating and should be avoided during the pre-lights-out bedtime routine, which should be used for relaxing activities and avoiding stimulation.

There may also be links between using backlit devices and disruptions to melatonin production – the hormone that controls circadian rhythms and essentially induces sleep. It’s thought that backlit devices may inhibit this natural process, messing with your child’s body clock.

By following these five simple rules you’ll find it will become easy to develop healthy sleeping habits for you and your family, and you’ll be happy knowing that your child is getting just the right amount of sleep to tackle the day ahead.

Written by Kelly Stevens.

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